Though marketing and engineering students seemingly come from two different worlds, they have a lot in common when it comes to envisioning their next start-up. Through a unique learning collaboration in BEGR 411, students in the College of Business and Engineering (COBE) experienced the power of blending their majors and talents to develop and launch game-changing products in an innovative course.
Jamal Ghorieshi, professor of mechanical engineering, and Anna Ma, assistant professor of business, instructed the course, titled “Integrated Product Development”. Students had the benefit of both professors as advisors on their work and gained insights through guest speakers brought in from throughout the University.
Throughout the semester, students worked on product concepts, patent and marketing research, customer analysis and interviews, product samples, cost projections, timelines and more, culminating in the presentation of an engaging video to pitch their product to target audiences.
“Working with faculty from another department allowed us to see the world from different perspectives and helped us better understand each other’s teaching approaches and expertise,” Ma commented, noting that it allowed for a “truly interdisciplinary learning opportunity” for their students. Ghorieshi credits the unique opportunities within COBE that “encourage both faculties to leave their own silos and look for opportunities to engage each other in projects or courses”.
Students presented their work, prototypes and video to an audience of peers, supportive community members and mock angel investors.
“One of the key successes of this course was the creation of innovative, real-world products that addressed practical, unmet needs in daily life,” Ma said.
Projects included: Dual Doc Pro, a dynamic and detachable smartphone second screen system, the Travel Tray, a travel cosmetics tray intended for passengers, the Terminator Pot, an innovative gardening and pest control tool and the Drill Load Pro, a device designed to assist screw loading into drills.
Not only did students produce market-ready products, but they learned valuable lessons that can easily be applied in their post-graduation plans, no matter which industry they decide to work in. The audience members of their presentations also offered poignant insights and experience as industry professionals or consumers.
“The project illustrated students’ passion, motivation, and joy invested in accomplishing unique work,” beamed Ghorieshi.
Aaron Palmer, a graduate mechanical engineering student from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, worked in the Terminator Pot group as a fundamental designer and gained new insights in the field, including market research, prototyping and the creation of business plans. Palmer has plans to work in design in the future. “This course provided me with the tools necessary to succeed in a real-world working environment,” he said.
Brooke Snopkowski, a marketing student from Havertown, Pennsylvania and Palmer’s teammate, also had a unique experience. “The biggest takeaway was collaborating with different perspectives,” she said.
Snopkowski notes she’s grateful for the opportunity to see the engineering side of the industry and for the “communication, conflict resolution and decision-making” skills this project helped her develop.
This collaboration showcases the kinds of transformative experiences Wilkes provides. Studying across disciplines ensures students gain confidence in new skills and perspectives from their peers. As a result, students approach the job market with well-rounded knowledge and an additional advantage – the willingness to work hard in unfamiliar territory and produce great results.
“There is a new generation of graduates ready to thrive,” said Ghorieshi.
